Graffiti draws more police patrols at Iglesia Park

July 22, 2014

Updated 12:13 p.m.

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Increased surveillance at Iglesia Park has caused recent tagging to become smaller and more hurried, Sgt. Ray Ulmer of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. The northeast area, around the tennis courts, is where the graffiti has been located. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

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The tennis courts at Iglesia Park have been the most frequent target of the graffiti. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

Graffiti has been painted over at the Iglesia Park tennis courts. More frequent vandalism at the local park has caused Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies to increase surveillance. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

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Graffiti has been painted over at the Iglesia Park tennis courts. More frequent vandalism at the local park has caused Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies to increase surveillance. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

1 of 7

Graffiti has been painted over at the Iglesia Park tennis courts. More frequent vandalism at the local park has caused Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies to increase surveillance. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

1 of 7

Graffiti has been painted over at the Iglesia Park tennis courts. More frequent vandalism at the local park has caused Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies to increase surveillance. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

Increased surveillance at Iglesia Park has caused recent tagging to become smaller and more hurried, Sgt. Ray Ulmer of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. The northeast area, around the tennis courts, is where the graffiti has been located. JOHN WILKINSON , STAFF

ALISO VIEJO – Police in Aliso Viejo are keeping a more watchful eye on Iglesia Park after a recent increase in graffiti.

Graffiti used to show up at the park every couple months, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Ray Ulmer said, but it became a weekly occurrence around the end of June.

The city, in response to the uptick in vandalism, announced on July 3 that surveillance of the park is being increased.

Sheriff’s deputies are doing regular patrol checks through the area, and deputies have been walking through the park, Ulmer said.

A special enforcement team is also monitoring the park, he said. That unit uses an undercover car and is on foot patrol, focusing on one location at a time to “curtail criminal activity in certain areas,” Ulmer said.

Located off Moulton Parkway between El Toro Road and Glenwood Drive, Iglesia Park, unlike most parks in Aliso Viejo, is owned and operated by the city, not the Aliso Viejo Community Association. In addition to a community center, the park has a baseball diamond, soccer field, sand volleyball court and two tennis courts. A half-basketball court is being built.

The majority of the vandalism, Ulmer said, has taken place in the northeast area of the park around the tennis courts. Graffiti has also shown up on the horse trail behind the park leading toward Laguna Woods, he said.

In the weeks since increasing security, Ulmer said, graffiti at the park has slowed down but has not stopped completely. Ulmer also said the lettering of the more recent graffiti is smaller and more hurried.

“It’s cut down a lot, we’re not seeing it all over the place,” Ulmer said. “It’s one specific area now.”

The city is asking anyone who sees suspicious people or activity in the park to call the sheriff’s department at 949-770-6011.

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